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Three-car collision in Ventura leaves two dead, three others injured

October 6, 2012 | 10:19
am

A three-car traffic collision early Saturday in Ventura left two people dead and three others injured, including a 4-year-old boy, authorities said.

Oscar Juarez Cruz, 34, and his toddler son were in a Mercedes-Benz headed south on Victoria Avenue about 12:35 a.m. when they collided with a blue minivan traveling east on Olivas Park Drive, the Ventura Police Department said in a statement.

The minivan then struck a Honda Accord at the intersection.

A 53-year-old man was ejected from the minivan and a 56-year-old woman was partially ejected from the same vehicle. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. An initial investigation revealed that the minivan had failed to stop for a red light and that neither occupant was wearing a seat belt, the statement said.

A Ventura County coroner’s investigator said the victims had been identified but their names were not released pending notification of next of kin. A toxicology exam is planned to determine if the two had been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the statement said.

The driver of the Accord, a 42-year-old man, suffered major injuries and had to be extricated by Ventura Fire Department personnel. He was transported to a local hospital and was in critical condition.

Cruz and his son suffered minor injuries and were able to walk away from the scene, the statement said.